Dear Brethren and Friends,
After the wonderful Feast of Tabernacles that we enjoyed only a few weeks ago, we now have witnessed the spectacle of our Western society having been involved in Halloween (the occult), and we will shortly witness Christmas and New Years Day celebrations.
The Daily Telegraph stated on October 30 that the “Vatican has condemned Hallowe’en as anti-Christian, saying it is based on a sinister and dangerous ‘undercurrent of occultism.’” The article continued: “The Holy See has warned that parents should not allow their children to dress up as ghosts and ghouls on Saturday, calling Hallowe’en a pagan celebration of ‘terror, fear and death’.” And yet, this same organization will still fully approve and endorse the upcoming days of Christmas and New Years Day, even though they are also thoroughly pagan in origin.
In addition, USA Today wrote on November 1: “The Vatican said Saturday that married Anglican priests will be admitted to the Catholic priesthood on a case-by-case basis as Rome makes it easier for disillusioned conservative Anglicans to convert.”
Bible scholars have long identified the “woman riding the beast,” as mentioned in Revelation 17, as “papal Rome.” The influence of that woman seems, quietly at this stage, to be furthering its own agenda, and the true Church of God has long understood the role that the “woman” will play at the end of this age.
But apart from the activities of the Roman Catholic Church, many other things are happening, at a rapid rate, that have prophetic implications. One of our ministers said recently that in the past, prophecy was like putting a lot of small pieces into a jigsaw puzzle, but now the pieces are getting bigger and are easier to fit into the prophetic scenario. How very true is that statement!
Let us just look at what is happening in the UK today. While I am writing primarily about my own country, the same will apply to all the modern Israelitish nations, including Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Canada and, of course, the USA, as well as to many other nations.
At the end of October, it was reported that Andrew Neather, a former adviser to Tony Blair, Jack Straw and David Blunkett, claimed that the huge increase in migrants over the last decade was “partly due to a politically motivated attempt by ministers to radically change the country” and “rub the Right’s nose in diversity.” He said Labour’s relaxation of controls in 2000/01 was a deliberate plan to “open up the UK to mass migration,” but that governmental officials were nervous and reluctant to discuss such a move publicly for fear it would alienate its “core working class vote.” This was strenuously denied, but here was someone at the heart of government telling us what he saw happening. As a result, the public argument for immigration concentrated instead on the economic benefits and need for more migrants.
Regardless of who was right in this argument, there is no denying that mass immigration has changed the landscape of the UK. We know from the book of Hosea that these things will happen at the end of this age to the British people. In Hosea 7:8-9 we read the following about “Ephraim”—mainly a designation for modern-day Britain: “Ephraim has mixed himself among the peoples (and has become a multi-racial, multi-religious society); Ephraim is a cake unturned (or half baked). Aliens have devoured his strength, But he does not know it; Yes, gray hairs are here and there on him, Yet he does not know it.”
The British people have bent over backwards to accommodate foreign religions, even to the detriment of its Judeo-Christian heritage, and now the aliens or strangers amongst them have “devoured” them. We can read about how displeased God was with the proliferation of groves and shrines to Baal and false gods in the Old Testament. And yet, the same thing has happened in our nations, where modern-day groves and shrines are in evidence up and down the land. And as ancient Israel and Judah didn’t rid themselves of these idolatrous places, we today are in exactly the same position where our leaders, both political and religious, allow and promote such practices in what is now a multi-faith society. God insisted on a one-faith nation. Ancient Israel and Judah failed in that regard as indeed we have failed today, with the result that the alien has “devoured” us and our strength.
In addition, we will be having an election within the next 6 months in the UK with a huge financial crisis hanging over us. In spite of all the rhetoric, no political party has the answers, although you might be forgiven for thinking that they had, according to the way that they put forward their agendas. A furious row broke out at the beginning of this month between the UK Schools Secretary and the Leader of the Opposition about “the family.” As both parties are in favor of civil partnerships, it just proves that neither really understands the importance of marriage and the family, which have been systematically destroyed in recent years.
We are involved in wars that we just can’t win, such as Afghanistan and Iraq. In Leviticus 26:19 (the blessings and cursing chapter) it clearly shows that disobedience will result in God breaking the pride of our power. This is surely now coming to pass for the modern Israelite nations.
Europe is moving at a fast pace with the very recent appointment of Mr. Herbert Von Rompuy as the new European President and Baroness Ashton as EU foreign policy chief. Critics say, too much more of Britain’s sovereignty will now be ceded to Brussels. There will be many twists and turns with the European superstate, and we need to keep a careful and watchful eye on this area. Democracy is the watchword but, in reality, it is not the way that this monolithic entity works. It wasn’t so long ago that the Irish had to vote twice until the EU got the result it wanted. That is hardly democracy, but we may not have to wait too much longer before the EU gets into top gear with the power that will be given to the “beast,” mentioned in the book of Revelation—the future political and military leader of Europe, ruling over the United States of Europe—the last revival of the ancient Holy Roman Empire. In addition, we need to focus our attention on Jerusalem, which will be focal points of prophecy at the end of this age.
The few areas that I have mentioned are just the tip of the iceberg (there are so many more that could be mentioned) in what is now becoming a very fast moving prophetic scenario. Wherever you look and in whatever area of society, man has really made an enormous mess of things. Only the return of Jesus Christ can save the day, and it surely cannot be too long before that wonderful time arrives. In the meantime, we have to keep on living the way of God, never letting up in any way.
And an integral part of God’s way is not being involved, in any way at all, in the politics, philosophies, religions, customs and practices of this world. We must bear this in mind, as we approach the upcoming Christmas season. In that regard, I think that the words that Mr. Eric Rank wrote in his editorial recently (November 6, 2009, titled, “Beware the Subtleties”), are very apropos.
He wrote:
“While we live in this world, we must be ready and prepared to defend ourselves against the carnally inspired messages, influences and temptations presented to us. The most dangerous kinds of temptations are those which are the most subtle. Participation in the wrong event, even in a marginal way, erodes our loyalty to God. With a constant stream of messages telling us that participation is harmless and that origins are irrelevant, it might be tempting to justify an action, declaring it to be innocent. Nevertheless, we must remember what God inspired in Isaiah 5:20-21: ‘Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, And prudent in their own sight!’”
Wise words indeed! As society approaches the world’s festive season and the year of 2010, let us resolve to stay close to God and His ways and ignore the glitter and superficial ways of this world. Let us rather keep our eyes on the better world that is to come. It will be worth our while to do so, as we escape the pollutions of this world now (2 Peter 2:20). Dear brethren and friends, let us all make sure that we do not become entangled again in the world.
With Christian love.
Brian Gale
